Miley CyrusCops Race to L.A. Home inApparent 'Swatting' Prank

8/2/2012 7:00 AM PDT

Miley Cyrus -- Cops Race to L.A. Home in Apparent 'Swatting' Prank

EXCLUSIVE

Cops raced to Miley Cyrus' L.A. house tonight after receiving a report about a possible home invasion ... but when they arrived to the scene, it turned out to be a false alarm ... and all signs point to a troubling prank known as "Swatting."

Law enforcement sources confirm ... the LAPD received a 911 call at 6:50 PM to report a possible home invasion, possible shots fired.

The LAPD responded immediately ... sending a chopper, and officers with high powered weapons , who immediately set up a perimeter around the home ... with guns drawn.

But the cops quickly determined the house was quiet, no one was home ... and there was no sign of a crime -- it was a false alarm.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... officials now believe the caller is a "911 abuser."

The call seems to fall in line with a prank called "Swatting" -- in which a caller tries to trick emergency responders into dispatching law enforcement (like the SWAT team) to a home by making up a serious crime.

Cops tell TMZ ... if the call was indeed a prank, which it appears to be, the caller will be arrested ... and face serious criminal charges. In fact, we're told if someone were to be hurt or killed due to the prank, the caller could even face felony charges.